Contacts. Iridescent magic Mother of pearl - properties and meaning of the stone Artificial mother of pearl

It has a characteristic iridescent tint. This is due to the structure of the shell itself, consisting of the smallest plates, separated by the thinnest air layers that refract light rays. Although this mass consists of thin layers covering each other, gradually released by the body of an animal living in a shell, it is very strong.
Mining
The main places of extraction of mother-of-pearl shells are the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, Ceylon, Japan, Borneo and the Philippines, some tropical Pacific islands, the USA, Mexico, and Canada. Freshwater pearl oysters are practically extinct, sometimes they are found in the rivers of Northern Europe and in the Russian North. High-quality mother-of-pearl is mined only in tropical seas.
Most of the market is mother-of-pearl, mined by divers from shells in the process of searching for pearls. However, there are shells in which mother-of-pearl is much larger than in ordinary ones - they are mined separately. The color of mother-of-pearl varies depending on the place of production - for example, the Indian mollusk Manilla produces exclusively white, the mollusk abalone-haliotis produces dark red mother-of-pearl.
Story
Mother-of-pearl has been known to man for a very long time and was among the first known ornamental materials - necklaces, earrings, bracelets and other jewelry with this stone are found in the tombs of Ancient Egypt. In ancient Rome, mother-of-pearl was valued on a par with pearls, being considered a symbol of wisdom and power - according to legend, the walls of the palace of Emperor Nero were lined with mother-of-pearl plates. During the Middle Ages, goblets and vessels decorated with mother-of-pearl were especially popular among the nobility - for these purposes, whole elegantly twisted sea snail shells were also used, set in silver and decorated with fine engraving depicting mythical sea monsters or mermaids. It was believed that a drink poured into a similar cup heals from serious illnesses and prolongs life.

In Russia in the 18-19 centuries. in most jewelry, along with precious stones, mother-of-pearl was used, which was a favorite insert for court jewelers; bowls, snuffboxes, boxes, church utensils were also decorated with mother-of-pearl “scales”. Mother-of-pearl necklaces were worn by Mary Stuart and Catherine II.

Part of a jewelry set (15 items in total), diamonds, gold, mother-of-pearl, 18 c (from the collection of the Diamond Fund).

Until the 18th century, mother-of-pearl powder could be bought at any pharmacy - it was considered a unique healing agent (today mother-of-pearl is also actively used in cosmetology and pharmaceuticals).

Artificial mother of pearl
To date, the extraction of shellfish containing pearls and mother-of-pearl is very limited. The need for pearls and mother-of-pearl is much greater than nature can provide - the shells grow for a long time and are quite difficult to extract. The manufacture of artificial mother-of-pearl, which is produced using gelatin and "pearl essence", has long been established. This substance (essence d'Orient) is a liquid from the scales of bleak (Ukelei, Cyprinus alburnus). The scales are rubbed with water until all the shiny pigment settles to the bottom of the vessel. This precipitate is washed with ammonia and mixed with diluted gelatin. A substance with a silver sheen consists of microscopic crystals, a compound of guanine with lime. The method was invented in the 17th century in France.

Mother-of-pearl is used to make jewelry (rings, bracelets, earrings, beads and necklaces, pendants) and accessories (buttons, fans, caskets, mirrors, combs, etc.), encrust furniture, musical instruments, and household items.


coin box lipstick case cosmetic cigarette case

binoculars and fans

jewelry box and handbags

handbags and pill box

cufflinks, powder box and spoons (I'm touched)))

The main method of processing - mother-of-pearl is sawn with a special steel saw, then the top layer is removed with a sharpener, then it is turned and smoothed. At the last stage, it is polished with a special solution with sulfuric acid, which gives additional shine to mother-of-pearl.
Mother-of-pearl can be dyed, this process takes 2-3 days and the main color is black, as it is very popular and has unusual shades. The mother-of-pearl inlay technique is popular, wood, precious metals and stones are taken as the basis. One of the modern trends in jewelry is mother-of-pearl mosaic - the surface is inlaid with small pieces of mother-of-pearl, which eventually add up to an unusual picture with a large number of refractions.

Real mother-of-pearl is determined by heating, an open flame. Mother-of-pearl brought to it, containing 2% water, cracks and loses its luster. Mother-of-pearl is afraid of exposure to acids, abrasives, fumes, cosmetics.
Caring for mother-of-pearl jewelry is simple - they are washed in soapy water or rubbed with potato starch to remove dirt; The main rule is to keep mother-of-pearl clean. The “mother”, like the “child” pearl, suffers from a lack of attention and only gets better with frequent wear.

Sites used in preparation: etsy.com, dragkamen.ru, abc-jewels.ru, bizhuterija.com, bicostyle.ru, kamni-minerali.lact.ru, inmoment.ru

Mother of pearls - this is how the word "mother of pearl" can be translated from German. This beautiful natural material inspires not only jewelers to create wonderful jewelry, but also chemists who want to recreate the unique properties of a substance in the laboratory by all means. Slowly approaching their goal, they have already achieved significant results.

But still, a person has not yet managed to create anything similar in terms of the spread of the physical characteristics of the initial materials and the final product (in this case, it is mother of pearl). That is why the latest achievement of scientists looks so impressive compared to the rest.

In the course of research, chemists have found that the high strength of mother-of-pearl is determined by its structure. It was her authors of the work who tried to recreate.

To do this, they conducted a controlled freezing of an aqueous suspension of aluminum oxide (alumina) with the addition of a fairly common polymer, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).
The researchers reported their findings in the journal Science.

The roughness of hybrid ceramics also determines its strength, as it affects the shear process of the "bricks", and hence the energy dissipation. The inset shows fairly large briquettes of the new material. Previously, scientists were able to obtain samples of such a strong substance only in the form of thin films. In the same place - a photograph obtained using a scanning electron microscope, showing the behavior of the material under load. The damage spreads in the form of small cracks (photo by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory). Their discovery was based on work two years ago by fellow Berkeley researchers Eduardo Saiz and Anthony Tomsia.

Then scientists discovered that it was possible to create a very durable artificial replacement for human bone by freezing sea water.

This time, the chemists first also froze water, but in order to create a matrix that became the basis for obtaining a frame from alumina plates (lamellae) (it occupied pores not filled with ice). The ice was then removed by evaporation, and a polymer was introduced in its place.

The strength of a material is determined by its ability to dissipate strain energy. In this case, the polymer between the aluminum oxide plates allows them to "slide" relative to each other and thereby distribute the load, just like the protein structures in mollusk shells do.

But chemists were not only able to create a lamellar framework. They got the opportunity to influence the thickness of the plates, their macroscopic orientation, chemistry and roughness of the lamella interfaces. By compressing the framework perpendicular to the layers during sintering, they also obtained aluminum oxide "bricks" and achieved the formation and compaction of ceramic bridges between them. The possibility of varying all these parameters will allow in the future to obtain materials with other properties, and there is a high probability that among them there will be those that will be even better than the current ones.

“We tried to mimic natural hardening mechanisms by making alumina particles line up in hierarchical structures,” says Ritchie in a press release from the laboratory. “In the future, we hope that the study of already obtained composites will improve the synthesis of lightweight non-biological materials with unique hardness and strength.”

In the future, chemists intend to obtain materials with even greater strength. They hope to achieve exciting new results by changing the alumina/PMMA ratio to increase the ceramic content, replacing the polymer with a different one, and even replacing the entire polymer with a metal.

Scientists from Berkeley believe that the metal will not only allow the plates to move relative to each other (with such dimensions, this is quite feasible), but will also take on part of the load. In addition, unlike polymer, it can work at high temperatures.

The result will be a lightweight and durable composite material that will always find use in both the energy and transportation industries, the researchers believe. It suffices to give a simple example: many car parts made of such a composite will weigh much less than steel, which will positively affect fuel consumption.

However, before the idea becomes a reality (allowing manufacturers to benefit), it will be necessary not only to improve the material itself, but also to organize its mass production.

Willem Kalf, Still Life with Holbein's Chalice, Nautilus Goblet and Fruit Plate, 1678

Chinese scientists have described a method for obtaining artificial mother-of-pearl that does not differ from natural. The technology can also be used to synthesize other complex metamaterials that combine polymeric and mineral components. The authors write about this in an article published by the journal Science.

Mother-of-pearl is a natural composite material of complex structure, which some types of molluscs deposit on the inner wall of the shell. It is formed by orthorhombic crystals of calcium carbonate - aragonite. Hexagonal plates of this mineral with a diameter of about 10-20 microns and a thickness of about 5 microns are laid in parallel overlapping layers, which are laid with protein and polysaccharide biopolymers, including chitin and fibroin.

This combination gives mother-of-pearl a number of valuable characteristics that are very interesting for practical use: strength, elasticity, resistance to cracking. There are various approaches to obtaining artificial mother-of-pearl: through layer-by-layer build-up, self-assembly, and Freeze-casting. However, Shu-Hong Yu and his colleagues at the University of Science and Technology of China note that none of these complex technologies produce a material that can match natural mother-of-pearl, and “does not use the strategy that living organisms use.”

The first successful attempt to obtain mother-of-pearl by simulating the natural process of mineralization was made by Cambridge researchers back in 2012. Scientists deposited a thin layer of biopolymers on the surface of a glass substrate, formed a porous structure in them, and then immersed them in a solution containing new polymers, as well as calcium and magnesium salts in the quantities that they are found in natural mother-of-pearl. The process was repeated over and over again to build up new layers until high-quality samples of artificial mother-of-pearl, "identical to natural", were obtained.

Chinese scientists led by Shu-Hong Yu simplified this approach based on the mineralization of polymer matrix layers. Using freezing - anisotropic formation of crystals during cooling of a chitosan solution, the authors obtained a layered structure, which, under the influence of acetic acid, was acetylated to form a stable chitin matrix. A solution of calcium bicarbonate was pumped through it in the presence of magnesium, which was precipitated by mineral layers between the layers of chitin. Finally, fibroin protein polymers were added to the material and pressed.

Having studied the resulting metamaterial, scientists confirmed its closeness to natural mother-of-pearl at different levels of the structure. Calcium carbonate formed crystals of aragonite somewhat larger than natural ones, which made the mother-of-pearl slightly less hard. However, in general, such a material retained all the useful properties of mother-of-pearl, including an attractive appearance and resistance to the growth of microcracks.

Description of the mineral and its characteristics

In some European countries, such as Germany, France and England, mother-of-pearl has the poetic name "mother of pearls". In French mother-of-pearl is called nacre (la nacre).

In terms of chemical composition, mother-of-pearl practically does not differ from pearls, since it is the inner layer of shells. The plates of aragonite in the shells are parallel to the surface. The color of mother-of-pearl varies from white to almost black. Luster - pearly.

Hardness - 2.5-4.5; density - 2.7 g/cm3.

The most commonly used shells for jewelry come from the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

Medicinal properties

The healing properties of mother-of-pearl have been used since ancient times. Alchemists believed that mother-of-pearl powder could cure almost all diseases. Modern traditional healers believe that mother-of-pearl helps to improve the health of the body, increase immunity and efficiency.

Since ancient times, white mother-of-pearl powder has been used to make cosmetic creams. It was believed that such a cream can whiten the skin of the face, remove freckles and remove age spots. Shell earrings were worn to improve hearing. The influence of mother-of-pearl on the chakras is not known.

magical properties

In magical practice, mother-of-pearl is not often used. In some countries of the world, special bowls were made from shells, believing that drinks poured into them were healing. To attract the mercy of the gods, drawings were applied to the surface of the shell.

Mother of pearl patronizes people born under the signs of Aquarius and Pisces. Aquarius, he brings good luck in work. Pisces helps to win disputes and bets.

Talismans and amulets

As a talisman, mother-of-pearl is able to help its owner bring something new into his life. It helps to develop intuition, preserve peace and tranquility in the family, protects the house from evil spirits. It is believed that mother-of-pearl products can serve as an amulet that prolongs the life of its owner.

Gemstones have their own complex hierarchy, and their value is determined not by composition or form, but by beauty and the ability to give birth to tenderness and admiration in the human heart. An ornamental stone is not always a piece of rock mined in a deep mine where daylight has never penetrated; there is a special group of gems of organic origin that are part of nature - the sap of trees, petrified drops of water, saliva of mollusks do not seem like romantic objects, but after many years of gradual natural changes, these prosaic things turn into wonderful decorations that are not inferior in beauty to the glassy luster of coal derivatives .

Mother-of-pearl consists of carbonic lime containing a small admixture of organic matter and 2% water. It is found in sea shells (families Meleagrina, Turbo, Trochus, Haliotis, Nautilus, Strombus, Cassis and Triton) and river shells (toothless, barley, pearl oysters). Hardness 2.5-4.5 on the Mohs scale, density 2.7 g/cm3.

The word "mother of pearl" comes from the German "Perl Mutter", which means "mother of pearls" - indeed, all shells with an iridescent iridescent inner layer can become the "mother" of a pearl, which is a grain of sand or another inclusion around which several layers have grown mother-of-pearl. Strictly speaking, mother-of-pearl is not a gem, but an inner layer of pearl shells; the ornamental stone is shell plates, covered from the inside with an iridescent calcareous layer a few millimeters thick. Warm rays of the sun scattered in the white-blue sky fresh after rain, drops of morning dew in the heart of a lotus flower, iridescent clouds at sunset… What associations were not born among the inhabitants of tropical islands at the sight of this gem! Mother-of-pearl has no less shades than pearls - in addition to the usual white with blue, pink and golden-lilac flashes, there is also green-gray mother-of-pearl, and pink with a greenish-yellow tint, and black with a violet-blue glow. Mother-of-pearl has been known to man for a very long time and was among the first known ornamental materials - necklaces, earrings, bracelets and other jewelry with this stone are found in the tombs of Ancient Egypt. In ancient Rome, mother-of-pearl was valued on a par with pearls, being considered a symbol of wisdom and power - according to legend, the walls of the palace of Emperor Nero were lined with mother-of-pearl plates. During the Middle Ages, goblets and vessels decorated with mother-of-pearl were especially popular among the nobility - for this purpose, whole elegantly twisted sea snail shells were also used, set in silver and decorated with fine engraving depicting mythical sea monsters or mermaids. It was believed that a drink poured into a similar cup heals from serious illnesses and prolongs life. In Russia in the 18-19 centuries. in most jewelry, along with precious stones, mother-of-pearl was used, which was a favorite insert for court jewelers; bowls, snuffboxes, boxes, church utensils were also decorated with mother-of-pearl “scales”. Necklaces made of pieces of mother-of-pearl were worn by Mary Stuart and Catherine II. From antiquity to the present day, mother-of-pearl has been a popular material for dress buttons and other small details of the toilet. Mother-of-pearl plates are still used for facing expensive decor items and interior details - vases, dishes, furniture inlay, photo frames and table mirrors, caskets and table sets. Mother-of-pearl jewelry is diverse, and today you can buy both ethnic jewelry made by a real Filipino or Thai master, as well as an elite piece of high jewelery from the Korloff, Jilbert Albert or John Hardy fashion houses.

Mother-of-pearl is mined all over the world - shells can be found in the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, off the islands of Borneo and Ceylon, off the coast of Japan and the Philippines. Freshwater pearl mussels have practically died out, a small fraction remained only in the rivers of Northern Europe and in the Russian North. As before, most of the market is a product mined in the old way, like the world, with the help of specially trained divers. Processing mother-of-pearl is a difficult task, because the shells are quite fragile, and one decoration requires the attention of many craftsmen, including a carver, grinder, polisher, molder and engraver. Sometimes white mother-of-pearl is dyed in a silver chloride solution to create a beautiful dark hue. Caring for mother-of-pearl jewelry is simple - they are washed in an ordinary soapy solution or rubbed with potato starch to remove stubborn dirt; The main rule is to keep mother-of-pearl clean. The “mother”, like the “child” pearl, suffers from a lack of attention and only gets better with frequent wear. Mother-of-pearl should be protected from heat and open flame, exposure to acids and cosmetics.

Until the 18th century, mother-of-pearl powder could be bought at any pharmacy - it was considered a unique healing agent. Today, mother-of-pearl is actively used in cosmetology and pharmaceuticals - the most elite and expensive creams and lotions often contain "pearl essence", which enhances the anti-aging effect, whitens the skin, and removes freckles and age spots. Modern lithotherapists are of the opinion that wearing a mother-of-pearl talisman on the body helps to strengthen immunity, improve the whole body and increase efficiency, and also calms the nervous system and relieves stress. Mother-of-pearl earrings are recommended for the treatment of diseases of the hearing organs.

The energy of mother-of-pearl is associated with marriage bonds - it strengthens the family, brings peace and tranquility to the house, helps to realize one's mistakes and choose the most correct course of action in a relationship. mother-of-pearl twisted shell brings abundance and material well-being to the house. Mother-of-pearl jewelry protects its owner from the "evil eye" and negative influence from the outside, attracts changes and new events; it used to be believed that mother-of-pearl prolongs the life of the wearer. Astrologically, mother-of-pearl is most suitable for Aquarius, who bring good luck in their careers and work, and Pisces, who with its help win disputes and bets. All other signs of the Zodiac can wear it, but not all the time; mother-of-pearl is contraindicated only for Gemini.

Mother-of-pearl is an amazingly democratic gem, which to this day can be seen on the neck or in the ears of both a wealthy European fashionista and an islander tanned to blackness from a tropical island. What made him so popular? Probably the whole secret lies in iridescent overflows, invariably captivating with their ghostly shimmer; looking at them, it is easy to think that the most important thing is to look at life from a different angle, and the habitually flat existence will immediately sparkle with new facets, blooming familiar everyday life with new bright colors.

Artificial mother of pearl

To date, the extraction of shellfish containing pearls and mother-of-pearl is very limited. Firstly, because the need of mankind for pearls and mother-of-pearl is much greater than nature is able to provide us. It takes many, many years to form one shell with pearls. In addition, mother-of-pearl is quite difficult to mine.

However, the appearance of mother-of-pearl is so attractively beautiful that they are trying to recreate it in fabrics, colors, varnish coatings, and even the manufacture of artificial mother-of-pearl has already been established, which looks very similar to real, but, unfortunately, does not have any of the healing and magical properties, which natural mother-of-pearl possesses. Mother-of-pearl has been obtained today by lubricating a gelatinous sheet with "pearl essence" and pouring it with diluted gelatin, which is allowed to dry layer by layer.

This "pearl essence" (essence d'Orient) is a liquid that is extracted from the silvery scales of bleak (Ukelei, Cyprinus alburnus). The scales are rubbed with water until all the shiny scale pigment settles to the bottom of the vessel. This precipitate is then washed with ammonia and mixed with diluted gelatin. A substance with a silver sheen consists of microscopic crystals, a compound of guanine with lime. However, this invention is not a find of modernity. Its author, the Frenchman Jaquin, was the first to obtain such a substance in 1655. From a kilogram of scales (from 8,000 fish), he mined only 120 grams of pearl essence, which he called "essence d'Orient", which helped him in his charlatan activities, when he received artificial pearls from glass and sold them at the price of a real one.

As for real mother-of-pearl, it can be determined by heating, an open flame. Mother-of-pearl brought to it, containing 2% water, cracks and loses its luster. Mother-of-pearl is also afraid of exposure to acids, abrasives, fumes, cosmetics, it should be worn often and kept clean in a secluded place. Mother-of-pearl can only be cleaned in a mild soapy solution or lightly wiped with potato starch, which removes excess moisture and dirt.